


Assorted Scraps of Stories that Never Happened

by Romanadvoratnalundar (audreyhepburns_eyebrows)



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Angst, E-Space, F/F, Graphic descriptions of someone being burned alive, Human AU, Introspection, More tags to be added, Other, Witchcraft AU, fairytale AU, mentions of drug usage, really bad vampire fic, road trip au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 07:43:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8658451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/audreyhepburns_eyebrows/pseuds/Romanadvoratnalundar
Summary: A place where I will publish all the scraps and tidbits of the stories that sit in my writing folder abandoned.





	1. Neve

**Author's Note:**

> This is a piece from a fic I was going to publish about Romana's adventures in E-Space, along with a rather tragic Original Character named Neve; whom is a young fawn. In this scene, Neve dies and Romana deals with her decision to remain in E-Space. 
> 
> This piece was written in about 2014, and is presented in its raw unedited glory.

The regular response to a sudden event is shock. The body starts to panic, hyperventilating and heaving while trying to wrap the mind around the even that just happened. Romana feels the rush of adrenalin and starts running towards the small form of Neve, lying in snow that is rapidly turning red with blood. Neve is crying, her small broken sobs breaking Romana on the inside as she tries to stem the flow.

“Save her” Romana’s mind thinks, it’s running on autopilot as she tries frantically to make sure her young companion lives. She has to live. She can’t die yet, she has her entire life ahead of her it’s too early.

Too early.

Neve is looking at her with a pained look in her eyes, tears are free flowing and Romana can feel her fear reverberating off of her like it was the only thing she was made of. She lifts up her small hand, and Romana gladly takes it in her own.

She has been almost like the child Romana knew she would never have, and now their relationship was being cut short. All because a bunch of defunct Daleks found their way into E-Space. And now an innocent soul was dying. All because she failed to keep her safe.

“Please” Neve gasps; her small voice seeming as if it was far away as Romana tries and tries again to use something to help her. Her regeneration energy won’t come to her. There’s no med-kit, and she has to make do with ripping up chunks of her shirt and pants to try and stem the flow. It’s not working very well, but Romana doesn’t want to give up yet. She can’t give up on Neve.

“It’s going to be okay” she says, her voice cracking because even she knows that’s a lie. It’s all a lie. All of this is just a dream and she will wake up from this horrible never ending nightmare. But it’s not a lie. It's not a dream, and all Romana can think is that she failed everyone.

“Sing to me?” Neve asks, her voice growing even more distant, the blood has almost stemmed and there might be a little bit of hope but she still knows that there’s no chance she’ll make it in time, and so Romana sings to her, she sings an old earth song she heard once while out with the Doctor, she sings loud and clear and Neve relaxes within her arms, smiling as her eyes flutter closed.

Romana knows that she’s almost gone, she knows the small Faun’s eyes are closed and she’s very likely dead already, but she can’t bring herself to let her go. She doesn’t want to let her go. She wants Neve to be alive and well, to have a life. To have a home of her own one day. But that day will never come. All those days that were supposed to come won’t. Because a little Faun died.

She knows she must let go of her body at some point, but she’s content to just hold her for a while, like a mother grieving the death of her child. And she takes the moment and runs away with it because life is unfair.

Romana knows it’s time to let the Faun go, but it’s almost to heavy a weight to bear. She resigns herself to lying the Faun to rest upon a bed of flowers, unable to bury her within the cold and unfeeling earth below. It is a solemn event and Romana permits herself to cry. She cried and cried until there was nothing left, because she had nothing left.

Once again, Romana was lost and alone. Running from her people who would gladly exile and kill her for becoming a renegade. Forced against her will to stand trial before the mighty Time Lords. Forced to be humiliated, taunted, and tortured at the hands of the Celestial Intervention Agency. Romana was a renegade Time Lady who meddled, and had broken the first law of time and she was going to pay the ultimate price whether she liked it or not.

She hated the Time Lords. She hated everything they stood for, on their high pillar looking down on the rest of the universe. Never interfering, never helping. Always staying stagnant within their own corrupted society. Romana hated the fact that she was Gallifreyan, and she supposed she had every right to deny her heritage for it had only brought her pain and suffering. Her upbringing never had any compassion, never any mercy; Just the cold calculations of a race of people who’s only fault was their ignorance.

The Doctor had left her for dead. Didn’t even stop her from the naive choice she was making, to stay behind in E-Space and to help free the Tharils. It had been such an innocent thing, showing compassion for people who need help. And yet, Romana’s stay in E-Space had brought her more inner turmoil than her childhood and traveling with the Doctor both combined. But she couldn’t find it in her hearts to hate the Doctor, in fact she loved him very much. And she missed him.

The one thing that had made her break on the inside was the Doctor’s lack of caring. She knew that he was a pillar of strength within the cold and uncaring universe, and she couldn’t find it in her hearts to hate him. And now Neve is dead, nothing but a cold and decaying memory within her hearts, she was forced to grow up in a war torn land with no hope or parents to guide her and now she was dead. Because of Romana’s carelessness.

Romana felt uneasy in that moment.

She just wants to feel again. In these past few hours she has felt absolutely nothing. Just the dull numbness and vulnerability of being totally exposed emotionally, and mentally. She wants the pain to end, the never ending pain from the soul crushing numbness felt within the deepest crevice of her hearts. Romana wants Neve back.

There’s absolutely nothing left for her. Anywhere.

All she has left is the void.


	2. Gallifrey Human AU ish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be part of something bigger, but I feel like it can stand as a one shot of its own in it's simplicity. It is pretty much the Zero Draft of what will become known as The Sad Kids Club, which is a canon divergent story where the Gallifrey OT4 survived the Time War, but are stuck as humans on Earth. 
> 
> On a side note, this snippet is very dialogue heavy as it was a sort of practise for me to get a hold on the human characterisation of them; as well as sharpening my own skills as a writer. 
> 
> This is probably really recent. I started working on the early drafts in August 2016.

This is probably gonna be some fucking vague ass prose fic but * _shrug emoji*_

She inhales the smoke. Deep breaths Romana, just focus on the cigarette; let the worst come if it must.

“I never knew you to be one to smoke, Romana”

Her cover was blown. She butts out the cigarette, a mask of fake calm on her face as she turns to look at Leela; who is staring at her with a raised eyebrow and a look of concern.

“I’m not. I just…” her voice trails for a moment, eyes closing in a vague attempt to hide the fact that she's fishing for an excuse. There isn't one.

“I’m sorry Leela”

“I know you are, for yourself”

“I didn’t mean to…”

“I know, but what’s done is done. There’s nothing you can do to change it”

She turns away, her mask cracking around her. Romana can feel Leela staring into her, waiting for something unspoken to be said.

They both knew what was going on, but both decided that bringing it up really wouldn’t be the best - for both of them.

The silence is choking, almost as bad as the smoke swirling around in Romana’s mind. _I wish I could forget_.

The human mind has a peculiar way of acting in this situation, such a weird way is it in fact; that Romana doesn’t realise that she is crying, or that she is leaning heavily on Leela as she drags her away from her spot on the roof.

“I thought I’d be able to handle myself better”

“But you didn’t; and you’ve made a fool of yourself in the process”

“What was I _supposed_ to do, I acted as best I could given the situation”

Silence. Again.

They’re curled up on the sofa together, comfortably numb. It isn't until the first rays of dawn break through the closed curtains that they even begin to comprehend their situation. Whatever that may be.

“I must say, being human is rather...painful”

“You are being self-pitying, Romana. There is more to being human than this”

“Show me”

She does.

* * *

“Do you ever wonder where Braxiatel ended up?” he asks, his hands ever so slightly shaking. He sips the energy drink.

“I always wonder where he is” she says,her eyes are glazed over. In the days following the war, it seems as though the glaze won’t fade. Whether it is artificial or not, Narvin doesn’t wish to find out.

While Narvin has decided that energy drinks are a suitable replacement for the lack of energy he has been feeling, Romana decides that she perhaps needs something a _little_ stronger to dull her own pain.

“I’m sorry if I have ever doubted you, Coordinator”

“Only if i may extend that apology towards you, Madame President”

They keep their titles, if only as a bittersweet reminder as to who they once were. The sting of each other's words is well worth it.

* * *

 

Leela is the first to notice something is _deeply_ wrong with Romana. Perhaps it was how she seemed _too_ calm about the whole situation. Or how she always seemed to be in her own world, barely noticing the world moving around her.

“Are you alright, Romana?”

“Have I ever been alright?”

“That does not answer my question”

“No. It doesn't”

It is only when Leela discovers the empty pill bottles under Romana’s bed that she snaps. She had learned the hard way the effects of prolonged drug abuse.

“Running from your emotions will only make them worse”

“It's not so much running as it is making them tolerable”

“By numbing them to the point where you feel nothing? That is not a way to live Romana”

“And how is one supposed to live like _this”_ she motions around her, the room is a mess. Empty bottles, and dirty clothing litter the floor. The floor length mirror is covered.

She removes the cover, and for the first time in months Romana gets a good look at herself. Her once prideful frame has become rail thin, her hair a long and tangled mess; dark circles rim her eyes, and her skin is peeling in places.

Romana falls to her knees. How the once mighty President of Gallifrey managed to stoop this low is beyond her.

But it isn't beyond her. She has only herself to blame, as always.

* * *

Stop.

_Deep breaths. It will be okay._

The three of them wonder when it will be _okay_ . Narvin hasn’t been sleeping, memories of daleks terrorise him awake, shaking and wondering when it will _stop._

_Please let it stop._

Leela hasn’t been eating. Her usual appetite diminished to the point where she would rather just take vitamin supplements instead. They remind her of Gallifreyan protein cubes.

_Please, I am begging you._

Romana is tired. Not in the sleepy sense, but in the _this world is too painful_ sense. Time slows around her human body, and she loses track of the days going by...her mind numb.

  
_We need a way out._


	3. Human Road Trip AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was intended to be a sort of Gallifrey gutter punk AU where the OT4 is pretty much a band living out in a microbus. Yes, you heard me right. Idk where this idea came from, but I'm assuming it was one of the many failed attempts at writing the Gallipunk AU I originally came up with back in 2015 or so. 
> 
> This was also written in the timespan of August-September 2016.

Snapshots From the Microbus

Chapter One: Call of the Void - Rail Yard Ghosts

It had been one big spur-of-the-moment kind of thing, Romanadvoratrelundar had thought to herself; looking at the assortment of backpacks, and rucksacks that currently filled her friend Leela’s microbus. 

The microbus was a rather large affair which Leela had modified to run off of biodiesel. It was adorned with various beads, wallhangings, and patterned curtains. The outside was spray painted in a rather haphazard way - a bright rainbow assortment of colours - including flower here, a peace sign there. 

Leela smiled at her friend. Romana was always known to be rather tense and high strung. This would do her some good. She tossed in the last of her own bags; including several hard instrument cases, and what looked like a mountain of blankets, pillows, and quilts. The upcoming months were sure to be wild. 

“Are you sure it’s sensible to be travelling in this thing, Leela?” Romana asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“I practically built it myself, what do you think? If you could trust Theta’s vintage one, then surely you can trust mine” she replied. Of course, this thing was likely to be a lot better maintained than Theta’s old jalopy. 

Romanadvoratrelundar, age nineteen and a half; was a rather recent graduate of the Rassilonian Academy. At this humble age, she had decided that the hustle and bustle of her parent’s politically charged lifestyle was a rather boring one. 

Longing to experience a bit of that rebellious fun she had experienced during her time at the academy, (where she had met Leela, thanks to their mutual friend Theta Sigma) Romana had decided to run away with her best friend Leela and set out into the sunset - two friends living on the road, seeking the freedom they both longed for. 

The engine roars life and taking a look behind her, Romana gazes at the life she is leaving behind; gone were the days of idle bureaucracy, the many days alone longing for something other than this boring, civilised existence of politics and taxes.  

* * *

They have no idea where they are going, per se. I mean, you could say they were travelling for the fuck of it. Which, they  _ were _ ; if you wanted to get technical.

During the ride, music blares out of old speakers. The girls laugh and tell stories of days they wish were still there. They eat cheap ramen, and suddenly...the thought strikes. 

“Do you think the others would join us?”

Narvin is rather adverse to the idea. 

“You mean, we would be living in  _ that _ ?!” he motions to the bus, his eyes agog with disgust. However, there is a small spark there...the wanting for something more than this tedious life of shuffling papers. 

He tosses his bags in the bus, and both Leela and Romana smile at him. This should be fun. 

Braxiatel on the other hand, is more than happy to join in on their little...adventure? If it could be called that. If only to spend more time with Romana. 

It's only when Braxiatel comes out with several trunks, a suitcase of stolen artwork, and a guitar signed by Lindsey Buckingham that the three of them realise that packing light would be a must. 

After an hour, several bouts of pleading, and Narvin finally bursting into stress tears, Braxiatel  _ finally _ decides to downsize his load. And sticks with a backpack, and the guitar. For performance purposes. 

It takes another day before the four of them are ready enough to set out for the open road. And once they are, the feelings return. 

* * *

Part of her realises that  _ this is how it was meant to be _ but the other part is nagging in the back of her mind...that something isn’t quite right.

It is almost as if, they have taken the road that was never meant to be taken. And yet; it feels  _ right _ . 

Just the four of them. Taking on the universe. 

_ “Freak!!”  _

_ “That’s the Ice Queen, she’s not the kind of person you would  _ **_willingly_ ** _ associate with”  _

_ “She’s smart, but no one likes her because she’s weird”  _

_ “They’re just jealous because I’m more intelligent than they are. I’ll pass tomorrow's exams easily”  _

* * *

 

Narvin is staring at her. It has been at least six months since he has seen Romana, and yet he wonders how he could have possibly forgotten her face. Of course, their friendship was more one of constant snarking, and playful arguments. 

He has no idea why the three of them actually  _ like _ him, considering his reputation at the academy. He had decidedly came to the conclusion a long time ago that loneliness was much better than being hurt. 

Then they came along. 

_ I’m walking down the hallways and suddenly someone is smashing me into a locker, saying I  _ **_deserved_ ** _ it. It was  _ **_my fault_ ** _.  _

_ They’re kicking him and beating him. Accusing him of cheating on the exam. He’s the reason they won’t be passing. He’s the reason they’ll have to retake the class. _

_ It’s all his fault. _

* * *

The fire crackles and in that moment of fondness, Romana realises that perhaps she had made the right choice in the end. I mean, if she had stayed with her parents her life would probably be a lot duller. That just wouldn't do.


	4. I Wrote this While Drunk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...best not to question this at all. 
> 
> It is really funny though, so I've decided to include it in this pile of junk.
> 
> Written in 2014.

on e day romana was walking along and suddently THIUNBGDS HAPPEN. 

“oH NOE LOO K AT THING THINGS!! BAD HTINGS ARE HAPPEN!!” SHE SHOUTED AS THE DR LOOKED OUT OF HI DSS TRUDEUS.

WOO.

oh year and romana did a thingt that was really waeosme and yeah wow

wowoo. 

wromrna so hat

i love her. 

woa

ppppfttt.    
  


oneoen soculdmtn sbe a weird panda?? 

leela does something?

zxagreus makes bread. what a fuckning toool

if colin bake r wosareers crocs. he is adoneotio sonur 

wow. 

fuckmgng lalalllaaa waaaaaaaaaaaard.

tOM BAKE I R IS WWNIEEE. 

and i fht ehtngins were beeter dseakels wudls be congests. 

shakespeare .

RINGSOALLOOOOS

mmmmm. 

if you weeerre to reverse the poliarty things would happen it hitnk ?? has it wvdver worldsking edfor the thedoctor .   
  



	5. In which Romana and Clara are space girlfriends and completely rip apart Dr Who continuity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ??? I don't know what was going through my mind to be honest ??? But my main thought was, "DUDE WHAT IF CLARA AND ROMANA WERE THE GAY(TM) FOR EACH OTHER" 
> 
> Written in March 2016

‘So maybe it was wrong to think that this little escapade would work out’ mused Clara, fiddling with her TARDIS controls as she attempted to make any semblance of a landing. Her new TARDIS was, so it would seem, a lot easier to control than the Doctors however, and for that she was immensely grateful. Not that she had anything against the Doctors’s TARDIS, of course.

The vortex swished and swoshed around her and she had vague thoughts of a ship sailing through the open seas. Even if said ship was in fact, the Titanic. Even so, she continued to try and pilot it, hoping that it would at  _ least _ try to do as it should. And land already, for Clara was getting exasperated with trying to make it do something. 

Of course, the course of events that which were to follow would have caused her to steer very far in the other direction, screaming and raving. However, she didn't have precognitive abilities, so she had absolutely no idea about what was going to happen.

Until it did. 

The TARDIS went  **BANG** and such a bang was, to Clara, not a good thing. But at least she had landed. Sort of. 

When she stepped out of the TARDIS, she was surprised to find that it had landed in a place she didn't expect. Of course, she didn't even know what to expect but it was definitely not this. The terrain was odd. Oddly odd in a sense that it shouldn't be odd, but was in fact very odd indeed. And the fact that she wasn't alone in this extremely odd landscape. 

There was a woman standing in front of her, a look on her face that was a mixture of shock, awe, and surprise. The first thing Clara noticed was how beautiful she was, because she was very beautiful indeed. Like a woman right out of a sort of late seventies hippie-esque art nouveau painting. 

She was an inch or so taller than her, and had long blonde hair and the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen. Clara found herself mesmerised by the woman. 

And then she spoke. 

And Clara fell in love instantly. 

“Who are you?” The woman said, shock still evident by the way she hesitated in saying it.

“And why do you have a TARDIS, you're evidently not a Time Lord” the woman moved forward her eyes scanning her like she was a trick. Or a trap.

Clara unconsciously took a step back from the woman, thinking of a way to describe her current situation in a way that wouldn’t make her seem like a raving madwoman

“I travelled with a man for a while, but now he doesn't remember me, and I should technically be dead right now. Long story” 

“And you somehow ended up with a TARDIS?” the woman raised her eyebrows, a new look on her face which might have revealed that she knew something, but just wasn't saying it. 

  
“Hi, I'm Romana.” she smiled, holding out her hand. 


	6. Planets of the Universe (Another failed attempt at a road trip au)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another attempt at my road trip AU. YAY! The working title was "Planets of The Universe" which is a song by Stevie Nicks, whom also was a bit of heavy inspo for this tidbit. 
> 
> You can listen to it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO_VZYPyUS4 it was the piano demo version that heavily inspired me, rather than the one on one of her albums.
> 
> Written in June 2016.

The sky is a mixture of burnt orange and the pale purples of the early evening. The desert air is slowly cooling, the setting sun can be seen descending over the horizon. He spots her alone, resting for once. She is a lot thinner and ragged than he remembers. He thinks he spots a tattoo on her arm, and...is that a cigarette hanging from her lips? Part of him wants to run towards her right away, but something holds him back in his place.  _ It’s been years. _

Romanadvoratrelundar sits against her motorbike, a cigarette hanging from her lips. She can sense him staring at her and for a brief moment, she looks towards the sky and smiles; as if musing on some thought that had fluttered gently back into her mind after such a long time on the road. 

She doesn't know why she even decided to go back to him. She had ran away from.everything, deciding that a life of shuffling paper and working a desk job was  _ not _ for her. He had encouraged her to seek freedom but...when they had made the call she had decided to disappear.

Part of her wonders why she had made that decision in the first place, but deep down she knows.  _ She’s never going back again. _ Back to that life. The trip was only supposed to last a summer, just the two of them on the open road devoured by their own love of each other. 

And it had all crashed down one night while at the rest stop - _the one she is currently resting at, as if by some irony-._ _They wanted her back._ She didn't want to. _She hated that life._ She remembers getting angry and upset. Kicking a nearby garbage can in anguish as tears streamed down her face. _They wouldn’t._

He held her close that night, whispering that it was okay to go back. They wanted her back, she should go.  _ She didn’t want to go. She hated them. She hated them for trapping her and preventing her from seeing so many beautiful things. _

It was all downhill from there. The feelings of being a caged animal were slowly worming their way back into her mind, and she refused to accept that.  _ She wouldn't drop her entire life to go back to them. They didn't want her. They treated her like nothing. She was just a pretty doll to them. _

Early the next morning, she scrambles to back up her stuff as quickly and quietly as possible. Both the Doctor and the Boy are still sleeping when she leaves, speeding off into the dust.  _ Never going back again. _ She stands up, butting her cigarette and crushing it beneath her boot. Her back is still towards him.

It is in that moment that he decides  _ enough is enough  _ and starts running towards her in a mixture of joy and melancholy. As he gets closer, he can see her better in the evening. Her hair is still the beautiful shade of dirty blond that he remembers, but is slightly faded green at the tips as if it was once blue but had faded over time. Her shirt is dirty and balled up at the side to bear her midriff, several tattoos can be seen from his spot.

“Romana” the name glides off his tongue in the sort of desperate tone one uses while praying for salvation.  

  
She doesn't answer, but the silence speaks louder than any words can. 


	7. Oh my god something that isn't Gallifrey or Romana (it's Nyssa & Tegan)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few vague memories about this. It was supposed to be a Nyssa/Tegan fairytale AU I think?
> 
> Written November 2014.

once upon a time in a kingdom far away there lived a lovely maiden named Nyssa. She was known throughout the kingdom as the Lady Nyssa of Traken, as that was the name of the kingdom. Traken was a lovely place to live, it was very peaceful, warm, and there was no wars ever. Nyssa loved her kingdom, but a place in her heart longed for something more in her life. She desired love. 

Nyssa was thought to be made of ice, a maiden of stone and a pillar of will and strength throughout the world. However, this view of her made Nyssa quite upset, as she never was able to meet anyone she could shower her affections to. And she so longed to live. And love.

One day, While picking flowers in the meadow, Nyssa came across a young woman who was foraging through the woods, looking for different herbs and flowers. Her name was Tegan, and she was the daughter of a witch who lived in the woods. Tegan was a crafty little witch, and had managed to sneak into the castle meadows, there she came across the Lady Nyssa, who was tending to her rose bush. 

Tegan made sure to stay her distance, lest she scare the poor princess, but she couldn’t help but be intrigued by the ladies beauty. Tegan had never seen anyone so beautiful in her life. It was as if a spark had ignited within her. She ran away before the Lady Nyssa noticed her. 

All through the night 


	8. More Nyssa/Tegan only this time its a Witchcraft AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Fleetwood Mac. I think this was partially inspired by that one time I binge watched all of AHS: Coven and decided it needed more Lesbians, and Doctor Who. And well, the rest is history. 
> 
> The song is "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac. 
> 
> Written November 2014.

_ All your life you've never seen woman taken by the wind _

_ Would you stay if she promised you heaven? _

_ will you ever win? _

_ -Fleetwood Mac _

* * *

Chapter One - Never Going Back

Burning. That is the first thought that crosses Nyssa’s mind as she struggles against the heavy rope keeping her tied to the stake. She is burning alive, and at this point she isn’t sure if the screaming is hers but she thinks it might be. Through the smoke clouding her eyes Nyssa can see the rather large crowd of people gathering around to watch her burn, and she is momentarily saddened by the sight. 

Why do people hate each other so much?

The next thing Nyssa remembers is waking up in agony. She is lying on the ground, and can feel her burnt and singed skin cracking as she attempts to get up. She remembers the reason why they burned her, and she doesn’t want to go back. Ever. 

It was a warm morning, and Nyssa was on her way to the forest to forage for herbs and other wonderful things like swamp mud. Knowing that most of the town would still be sleeping, she headed out thinking that she would return. Why wouldn’t she? Nyssa had no idea of the horrors that the townspeople were planning for her. 

Unknowing to the naive Witch, one of the local hunters had seen her in the forest, chanting and singing in an unknown language. Terrified, the hunter had ran off and warned the townspeople, and as it was a small town, the news that Nyssa was a witch had caught on like wildfire, and Nyssa’s humble, God-fearing parents had made the hardest decision of their life. 

They were going to have to kill her. 

She remembers the night she was taken, how her own parents had bound and gagged her, dragging her through the street to the stake buried in the earth in a nearby clearing. She remembers begging for her life in front of the whole town, who wouldn’t listen. They never listen, and soon Nyssa was hoisted up and tied to the pole. 

The people are yelling at her, telling her to confess to doing witchcraft. She doesn’t want to, there are people there that she knows - school friends, teachers, more friends, they had all gathered to watch her burn to death. Nyssa had a sinking feeling within the pits of her stomach - they all came because they could, she was never liked within her own community. 

Nyssa was currently chained to the stake. Her heart was pounding and her vision blurring, she was going to die in a few moments and the realization of this made her want to escape even more. There was nothing she could do currently but sit and wait for death to come. And hopefully death would be swift. 

The next thing she knew was fire. It was searing up her dress and licking her ankles as she tried to hold back her screams. She wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of screaming and so she decided to stay as silent as she could. It didn’t work and as soon as the fire hit her hair she screamed in utter agony. There was nothing stopping her anymore and so she screamed and screamed as the flames ate her alive. And then there was darkness. 

As soon as Nyssa woke up, she thought she was dead. It was the only logical thought that could have passed her mind, but apparently life works its own little miracles and she had somehow survived burning alive. She was currently lying on the soft, but cold earth, and she soon realized that even though she was still alive, her flesh had been seared and was badly charred. 

Nyssa knew that she had to escape soon before anyone found out that she was still alive even after being burned. And so she did the most logical thing her mind could think of in her pain filled haze. And so she gently crawled away into the waiting woods. She knew that the swamps were nearby, and that meant mud. Mud was extremely good for healing, and she knew the necessary herbs she would need to restore her body.

It has been a few weeks since that fateful incident in the town, a young woman by the name Nyssa Traken was wrongfully ambushed and murdered by her parents and a group of radical christians who had accused Nyssa of practicing witchcraft. Tegan was sitting in her desk at school, listening to the morning announcements as they mournfully announced the tragic death of Nyssa Traken. 

Tegan couldn’t help but feel really upset by the girls passing. Nyssa had went to her school and they shared a biology class together. Tegan remembers just how quiet the girl was, and how smart. She had always seemed kind of far away always, as if she would rather be somewhere else. 

Somehow Tegan didn’t believe that Nyssa was really dead. There was no way that a group of people would willingly kill an innocent person just because they thought she was a witch! this was 2014 for goodness sake, they weren’t living in the dark ages anymore. She felt sick to her stomach at the state of the world. 

The bell rang and class started, Tegan’s thoughts aren’t with the lesson, but with the pretty girl who she was thinking of asking out, and how she would never be able to now that she was dead. 

Nyssa was alive. She was currently picking wild sage in the forest as a small radio blasted Fleetwood Mac around her. She was humming along with the tune cheerfully and as she worked she decided that this was a much better life for her than living in that town was. 

 

She was humming along with the tune. Her favourite one currently. There was dried mud on her arms, and as it was just starting to crack, she could see her pale flesh, restored to it’s former life. There was no smoke left in her lungs, and her hair was starting to grow again even though it was badly singed. 

Nyssa was almost recovered from her ordeal with the witch hunters, and she couldn’t be more happy to just sit there tying bundles of sage to prepare for drying. 

Tegan was walking home. It was late and she shouldn’t have let herself stay at the library for so long. Her parents are probably freaking out right this moment and she didn’t want to have to deal with that. They would yell at her, lecture her for a few more minutes, then forget about the whole ordeal the next day. She was growing tired of living this boring life, nothing to surprise her, nothing to excite her. 

  
She could sense that something was wrong. Tegan could sense that someone was following her. She began to walk faster. No one was going to accuse her of being a witch! A car was driving nearby, slowing down beside her 


	9. The Vampire Fic (also the Doctor shoots someone for some reason???)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even fucking know. The doc says I wrote this in October of 2014, which kinda explains it; but beyond that all I have to say is what the fuck?? ALSO WHY IS SUSAN MENTIONED??? IS THE DOCTOR THE VAMPIRE??? WHAT???? 
> 
> Okay, so reading through it; I can see now. It was supposed to be a fucking Edgy The-Doctor-is-actually-a-sexy-vampire-and-now-Romana-is-too fucking fic and I CAN'T BELIEVE I WROTE THIS.

Romana and the Doctor were chasing a murderer in the streets of London. Both were dressed in rather silly clothes and having a splendid time as they ran together. Laughing and yelling at the thrill of the chase as Scotland Yard prepared to advance on them all, Romana commented that this was a lot more fun than their adventure in Paris. Not that she didn’t enjoy that adventure, it’s just that the feeling of wet cobblestones and London fog left a vague feeling of mystery in the air, much more so than the bright and sunny weather in Paris. And the Doctor had to admit that she was right. That is, until the murderer they were currently chasing had quickly turned around at the most inopportune moment, pulled out a gun and in an attempt to shoot at the Doctor, missed and gotten his poor Romana right in the chest. Several times. 

Without so much as a second thought, the Doctor pulled out a gun that the kind Dr. Watson had given to him (despite the fact that he had told him that it wouldn’t be needed) and pulled the trigger. That was the only time the Doctor had ever killed anyone in a rash decision. The body of the murderer fell to the ground in an unceremonious heap as he turned to the small form of Romana currently bleeding out in the street, curling in on herself in an attempt to stem the blood flow, and staining her pale suit a dark maroon. 

Time passes in a blur for them both. Romana remembers the discomfort of being rushed into the TARDIS, pressed against the Doctor’s chest as he tries to navigate the vast corridors, looking for either her bedroom, his bedroom, or if he is lucky enough...the medbay. It’s almost a miracle as he makes it to the medbay first, and sets her down on a nearby cot. 

He can tell that she’s closer to death than she’ll ever be. Her skin is pale and waxy and she almost doesn’t seem real anymore, it’s as if she’s nothing more than a dream remembered. One of her hearts have stopped and she’s gasping for breath as the blood drips in an almost continuous stream, her eyes are open and staring at him with a pain filled gaze. This wouldn’t have happened had he been more vigilant. 

All Romana can do at this point is lay there limply while she bleeds to death. She has gone cold, and can no longer feel her fingers or toes, or anything really. She can sense that the Doctor is yelling at her, and she can still feel his psychic resonance within the room, but she is unable to respond to his questions, or pleas even though he is begging her to stay alive for just one more moment. 

“Don’t be frightened” she mumbles dreamily, trying to reach up and hold on to his scarf as he frenziedly attempts to extract the bullet and keep her from bleeding out, smiling that signature smile at her while working, she feels a sting of pain as he successfully removes the bullet, it clangs onto the floor with a dull thud as he rushes about looking for gauze and other things that she can’t really focus on at the moment. Her eyes flutter shut, the pressure decreasing until she can feel nothing and drifts through infinity. 

“Romana?” 

She can hear him, yes but everything was so wonderfully nothing, the void caressing her in a warm hug, and even though she knows that she’s dead at this point she would have smiled if she could have.

“Romana. Romana!!” 

Someone is lifting her head up. She can vaguely feel the burning hot hands and the displacement of her head.

“I’m sorry about what has to come, Romana.” She can feel him whisper into her ear, the hot breath on her neck making the hairs there stand on edge as she ascends into darkness. She moans involuntarily in response. She’s already a dead time lady, so what’s the point of trying to regenerate? One of her hearts had stopped and the other was slowing down significantly, racing towards it’s inevitable stop. 

And with a dull  _ thud thud. thud thud. thud. thud. thud,  _ it does. 

She exhales and goes completely silent. 

It takes more than a few moments for the Doctor to register the fact that she is dead. And in those moments the dull shock almost barely passes over him. He still continues to work furiously, hoping for just a spark of life to return to his dead assistant currently lying on the operating table. He refuses to be enticed by the smell of fresh blood clouding around him. The shock settles in, and by the time he is across the room again, he can feel just a tiny glimmer of hope.

And even a tiny glimmer is enough to convince the Doctor that Romana’s life was worth saving. Every last moment of her life was worth more than all of his years twice over. He was nothing compared to her, she was smarter, more brilliant, and could even fly his own TARDIS better than he could. There was no doubt in his mind that saving her would be a mistake. 

  
He has only had to do this once before, and it makes him nervous to think about. What if he lacked the control necessary to perform this act? Susan had been several hundred years ago, and even then, she had willingly became a vampire. 


End file.
